Music and Martial Soul

Shi Yan and Di Yalan entered the tree hollow again.

"What happened?" Mu Yu Die, who had been anxiously waiting inside, asked with a hint of surprise, "I just heard a loud rumble. Was there a demonic beast passing by?"

Shi Yan sat down in the tree hollow, silently feeling the surging energy within his meridians, but he didn't reply.

Most of the essence from the five martial artists had dissipated, and he had only absorbed a small portion of it.

However, because one of them was a master at the Human Realm, even a small amount of essence entering his body was quite substantial.

Despite this, Shi Yan was somewhat concerned, unsure when those negative forces might surface, so he remained cautious.

Seeing that he didn't intend to speak, Di Yalan explained what had happened.

After hearing her explanation, Mu Yu Die's face showed a trace of bitterness, as if she was troubled. Now was a time of danger, and with the demonic beasts causing chaos, she felt increasingly uncertain about the future.

As dawn broke and the sun slowly rose, the three of them refrained from resting further and engaged in quiet conversation within the tree hollow.

Previously, due to the presence of Luo Hao and the others, Shi Yan hadn't had much opportunity to interact with the two women and knew little about them. But now that Luo Hao and his companions had been killed, Shi Yan felt it was necessary to learn more about them, as it might be disadvantageous if he remained uninformed in the future.

"Why does the 'Dark Abyss' want to capture you?" Shi Yan asked with a frown, his voice deep, "Are you both from the Flame Empire?"

Mu Yu Die nodded slightly, sighed softly, and said, "It's all because of me..."

"What's the situation?" Shi Yan, already aware of Mu Yu Die's unusual background, naturally wanted to know more when she showed a willingness to explain.

"Sister Lan, you tell him." Mu Yu Die glanced at Di Yalan and sighed again.

"You really don't know Little Die's origins?" Di Yalan asked in surprise, looking at him with a peculiar expression. "Even though you're from the Merchant Alliance, you should have heard of General Mu Ku of the Flame Empire, right?"

"Mu Ku? The commander of the Flame Empire's Eagle Legion? The Iron-Blooded Eagle King?"

Shi Yan was taken aback, stunned for a moment, then nodded solemnly. "So she's the granddaughter of the 'Iron-Blooded Eagle King.' Now I understand."

As he carefully recalled the memories related to the 'Iron-Blooded Eagle King' Mu Ku, Shi Yan gradually pieced together the situation.

In the memories of another Shi Yan, there were recollections of the 'Iron-Blooded Eagle King' Mu Ku. Mu Ku was the commander of the Flame Empire's Eagle Legion, a master at the Nirvana Realm, and a figure of ironclad authority within the Flame Empire!

Not only was he renowned in the Flame Empire, but even within the Merchant Alliance and the Divine Protection Empire, the 'Iron-Blooded Eagle King' was a name known to all.

Mu Ku was a god on the battlefield, and his presence was indispensable in the conflicts between the Flame Empire and the Divine Protection Empire. On the battlefield, Mu Ku was famous for his ruthless nature, showing no mercy and leaving behind a trail of blood.

While Mu Ku was cold and unfeeling toward outsiders, he was equally rebellious within the Flame Empire, offending many powerful figures.

Three years ago, during a confrontation between the Flame Empire and the Divine Protection Empire, Mu Ku was surrounded and killed by five martial artists at the Nirvana Realm.

Because Mu Ku had offended many during his life, his death led to the swift downfall of the Mu family. Within days, many of his close relatives were killed, and the once-powerful Mu family quickly crumbled.

"I've heard of the 'Iron-Blooded Eagle King's' deeds." Shi Yan nodded after a moment of recollection.

"Little Die is the Eagle King's granddaughter and the only survivor of the Mu family. The 'Dark Abyss' is an assassin organization of the Empire that directly participated in the massacre of the Mu family. The only reason Little Die is still alive is because, on the day of the massacre, her martial spirit unleashed its full power. Little Die's martial spirit is related to music, and her zither's melody can kill without a trace..."

"You mean Miss Mu's martial spirit can kill through her zither music?"

"Yes, Little Die's zither music can not only calm those who are losing control due to their martial cultivation but also shatter a person's internal organs. The Dark Abyss wants to capture Little Die because their leader has recently been practicing an evil martial technique and frequently loses his mind. Fearing that he might perish due to inner demons, he wants to use Little Die's zither music to stabilize his mind."

"I see." Shi Yan nodded.

The 'Dark Abyss' was directly involved in the massacre of the Mu family. Mu Yu Die harbored a deep hatred for them and would rather die than help the leader of the Dark Abyss in his evil cultivation.

However, the Dark Abyss had significant influence in the Flame Empire, forcing her to seek refuge in another country.

After understanding Mu Yu Die's background and identity, Shi Yan asked, "Why can't Miss Mu use her martial spirit now?"

"Little Die's martial spirit is unique. Every time she unleashes it to kill, several of her meridians snap like zither strings. Until her meridians heal, the flow of energy is obstructed, and any attempt to circulate energy will result in severe injury, further slowing the recovery of her martial spirit."

Di Yalan's expression darkened, "Two months ago, just as we were about to enter the Dark Forest from the Empire's border, we were pursued by the Dark Abyss. We lost several comrades, and Uncle Luo couldn't hold on. Little Die had no choice but to use her martial spirit. Although she killed many from the Dark Abyss, her own meridians were damaged, and they have yet to recover."

"Your martial spirit requires the coordination of your meridians when activated?" Shi Yan was stunned, surprised, "Are you playing a zither or plucking your meridians?"

"I can't explain it either," Mu Yu Die replied listlessly, her face pale.

"Injuries to the martial spirit..." Shi Yan frowned, pondering for a moment, then suddenly said, "Maybe I can help."

Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan's eyes lit up simultaneously, staring at him intently.

"Ahem..." Shi Yan had spoken on a whim, but seeing the two women's eager gazes, he felt a bit embarrassed and said, "Well, since Sister Lan's martial spirit awakened after coming into contact with me, maybe the medicinal power within me could aid in the recovery of martial spirits. I was thinking..."

"Don't even think about it!"

Mu Yu Die replied sharply, glaring at him, "Don't you dare entertain any filthy thoughts about me!"

Mu Yu Die had witnessed how Di Yalan's martial spirit was awakened and couldn't bear the thought of giving up her purity, even if it might help her.

"I was just saying, don't take it seriously." Shi Yan's expression remained indifferent as he looked up at the tree hollow's entrance. "It's almost noon, and I haven't heard any more noise from the demonic beasts. Let's continue our journey."

"Alright." Di Yalan smiled faintly.

...

The three of them left the tree hollow, with Di Yalan still carrying Mu Yu Die, and continued their journey through the Dark Forest.

After a night of hunting, the demonic beasts seemed to be resting, and the trio encountered no high-level beasts along the way. However, the fresh human remains scattered throughout the forest reminded them of the previous night's brutality.

By dusk.

The speed at which the essence within Shi Yan's meridians was purifying increased, and the negative forces gradually began to surface, giving him a growing sense of violent unrest that he could no longer suppress.

He knew that Mu Yu Die's zither music could calm the negative emotions within him, but in the silence of the forest, the sound of her zither could also attract demonic beasts and the assassins from the Dark Abyss.

Having previously released his pent-up emotions with Di Yalan, Shi Yan hesitated briefly before letting his fiery gaze wander over Di Yalan's alluring figure, his mind made up.

...

Night fell.

In a secluded valley, Mu Yu Die curled up among the dense branches of an ancient tree, her face flushed as she stared, teeth clenched, at a nearby bush about ten meters away.

The bushes rustled continuously, and muffled sounds of suppressed gasps occasionally reached her ears...

"Shameless!" Mu Yu Die cursed under her breath, biting her lip.

After a long, drawn-out cry, the rustling of the bushes gradually ceased.

A few minutes later, Shi Yan and Di Yalan emerged from the bushes, their clothes disheveled.

Shi Yan's steps were steady, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened.

Di Yalan's long hair was tangled with grass, her skin flushed, her eyes sparkling with a lingering sense of satisfaction, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Miss Mu, haven't you rested yet?" As they approached, Shi Yan looked up and noticed Mu Yu Die's disdainful gaze. He smiled nonchalantly and asked casually.

"Hmph!" Mu Yu Die snorted, glaring at him, "Shameless!"

"Oh?" Shi Yan chuckled, indifferent. "Who knows if we'll live to see tomorrow's sun? Why worry about such things? We should enjoy life while we can."

"Yes, who knows?